1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to compositions and methods for preventing and controlling toilet odors. More specifically, the invention relates to compositions comprising a hypochlorite compound and a hydrogen peroxide compound and methods for preventing, reducing and/or eliminating the odor emitting capacity of fecal material and human waste in toilet water. Comprising such compositions to the water.
2. Description of the Related Art
The odor produced in toilets during the excretion of fecal material from the human body is often offensive and disturbing to the excreter or other persons nearby. For the excreter, the toilet odor can also be a source of embarrassment. The source of offense and embarrassment is the odor which is produced in toilet environments during the momentary period when excreted fecal material or other human waste is introduced into and allowed to remain in the toilet water before being flushed. The offensive odors diffuse through the toilet water and into the atmosphere of the toilet environment.
This present invention provides compositions comprising a hypochlorite compound and a hydrogen peroxide compound for preventing, reducing and/or eliminating toilet odor comprising adding to the toilet water an effective amount of such composition. Addition of the compositions transforms the toilet water into a solution that chemically attacks the odor-emitting agents present in the fecal material or other human waste.
The use of hypochlorite compounds and hydrogen peroxide compounds individually to sanitize waste water, swimming water and drinking water is known. It is also known to use hypochlorite compounds and hydrogen peroxide successively and/or simultaneously to sanitize and deodorize waste water, swimming water and drinking water. However, there remains a need in the art for compositions and methods for sanitizing and deodorizing toilet water. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,578,207 and 5,753,602 reveal the use of chlorine containing compounds to make cake like tablets for sustained release of the active ingredients to sanitize and deodorize toilets. However, there is a need in the art for compositions which provide a vigorous, instantaneous chemical attack on toilet odors.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,606 discloses the use of a hypochlorite sanitizing agent that aims to sanitize the toilet bowl with each flush. These preparations are placed in the cistern or water holding tank and treat the water that is present there. However, there is a need in the art for compositions which can be used to prepare a vigorous odor-eliminating toilet water solution for receiving fecal materials and rapidly eliminating or reducing the odor thereof.
The hypochlorite ion reacts rapidly with hydrogen peroxide in water. The odor-preventing, reducing and/or eliminating capability of the composition of this invention is effective up to 9-12 minutes (the critical time period). There is therefore a need for a means for providing an effective odor-controlling composition using these compounds that remain stable during storage, yet retain the ability to react when added to toilet water. The compositions and methods taught in the prior art do not provide a combination of ingredients that are appropriate or that will remain active long enough to vigorously attack the odor emitting agents during the critical time period. They also do not provide compositions or methods that can ensure that an effective concentration of these ingredients will be present in the toilet bowl during the critical time period.
Furthermore, while the compositions and methods of the prior art focus mainly on cleaning the bowl and preventing odor emitting agents from accumulating over a long period of time, there is a need for compositions which can prepare the toilet water to prevent, eliminate or significantly reduce the odor that is produced during bowel excretion. Finally, many of the toilets used in industrial and office settings, hospitals, dormitories, ballparks and portable toilets do not have water holding tanks to place these kind of sanitizers. The methods mentioned in the art do not address the sanitizing, odor controlling need that exists where these toilets are used.
An object of this present invention is to provide a method for preventing, significantly reducing and/or eliminating odors emitted when human waste are introduced into all toilets types. This object is achieved by the liquid, tabletted, powdered, granulated and/or encapsulated preparations of the present invention. Placement of the active ingredients and/or compositions comprising the active ingredients into the toilet bowl immediately prior to use, ensures the prevention, reduction and/or elimination of toilet odor. Addition of the active ingredients to toilet water converts the water into a solution that reduces the odor emitting capacity of human waste in the toilet water.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method for instantly sanitizing toilets.